Scuba dive off Point Loma, June 28, 2014 a day for the sea slugs => click on the thumbnail image to see the original larger image <=
Triopha catalinae nudibranch or sea slug fairly common to see these in San Diego	Phidiana hiltoni nudibranch uncommon to see in San Diego, and this was a big one!	closer view of Phidiana hiltoni nudibranch this was a show-stopper for me, and I took several photos of this sea slug.
Spanish shawl Flabellina iodinea nudibranch common to see these in San Diego; never get tired of seeing them since they are so colorful !	Hermissenda opalescens nudibranch cruising by cup coral and yellow sponges	Golden Gorgonian Muricea californica with strawberry anemones at its base the patterning and colors caught my eye
a palette of orange sponge, cup coral, Blood Star Henricia leviuscula, & strawberry anemones	California cone Conus californicus Big deal,... a brown snail, eh? This is the only species of cone snail in California. Many cone species are brightly colored, living in tropical seas. This non-descript cone snail is deadly, shooting a barbed harpoon out of its proboscis mouth tube into its prey, injecting a paralying poison, & then engulfing its prey whole with its proboscis mouth tube, like a python swallowing prey. It hunts & eats snails, worms, bivalves, & dead fish and dead octopus.	Hermissenda opalescens nudibranch cruising by cup corals over blue encrusting sponges I see these sea slugs regularly, & look for them on colorful backgrounds or in interesting settings.
Polycera tricolor nudibranch uncommon to see these in San Diego; another show-stopper for me. I didn't realize it at the time, but this sea slug is laying eggs (!),... that lacy mass underneath its back end.	Polycera tricolor nudibranch laying eggs I saw several of these, and took a number of photos, since I rarely see them.	Doriopsilla albopunctata nudibranch common to see these in San Diego
Tritonia festiva nudibranch on red gorgonian Leptogorgia chilensis common to see these in San Diego